Display outfits with separable decorative floral cover constructions



Aug. 2

A. ABRAMSON DISPLAY OUTF'ITS WITH SEPARABLE DECORATIVE FLORAL COVER CONSTRUCTIONS Filed Oct. 2, 1959 A TroNe V5 United States Patent O 3,050,619 DISPLAY OUTFITS WITH SEPARABLE DECORA- TIVE FLORAL CVER CGNSTRUCTIONS Abraham Abramson, New York, NX., assignor to Raylite Electric Corp., Bronx, N.Y., a corporation of New York Filed Oct. 2, 1959, Ser. No. 844,131 4 Claims. (Cl. 2411-10) This invention relates to portable electrically lighted outfits such as used in decorative displays for Christmas trees, for Stringing about door and window trim, and for other ornamental illumination purposes. More particularly, the invention is directed to improvements in lighted floral displays whereby removable attachment of translucent floral units to electric light sockets may be readily accomplished.

Among the objects of the invention is the general irnprovement of devices of the character described which shall comprise few and simple parts that are readily and easily assembled to form a rugged yet neat appearing structure, which shall be relatively inexpensive to manufacture in quantity production, which shall provide attractive and appealing illuminated floral display units having interchangeable and removable simulated flowers serving Ias covers for miniature electric lamps which flowers `or covers shall incorporate a releasable means for mounting on the electric socket housing, and which shall be practical and eicient to a high degree in use.

Other objects `of the invention will in part be obvious and in part hereinafter pointed out.

The invention accordingly consists of features of construction, combination of elements and arrangements of parts which will be exemplified in the constructions hereinafter disclosed, the scope of the application of which will be indicated in the claims following.

In the accompanying drawing in which various illustrative embodiments of the invention are shown:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an illuminable floral display unit embodying the invention shown mounted in position on a Christmas tree branch.

FIG. 2 is an exploded View partly in section of the iioral display unit showing details of construction of the ornamental simulated ower.

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary longitudinal sectional view of the unit illustrated in FIG. l.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view similar to FIG. 3 but of a modified form of the invention, and

FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view of the novel coupling means shown in FIG. 4.

Referring in detail to the drawing, and more particularly to FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, 10 denotes generally one of the illuminated floral display units of a string of such units constituting a display lighting outfit of the type used for Christmas tree lighting purposes. Unit is seen to include a `lamp socket 11 having a molded housing or husk 11er of any suitable electrical insulating material, such as a resinous plastic, an electric lamp 12 seated in and extending up from an upper end 11b of the husk 11a, a pair of lead wires W entering the opposite lower end 11e of husk 11a and a simulated decorative removable and interchangeable floral cover 13 for said lamp 12.

Socket v11 may be of any conventional construction well known in the art for screw mounting and electrically energizing lamp 12 through lead wires W. A stepped shoulder 11d, forming `an upper edge rim or border 11e adjacent upper end 11b of an enlarged diameter with relation to that of the body of husk 11a, is engaged by resilient prongs 14a extending from gripper 14 carried by floral cover 13 providing a snap-on quick ydetachable interconnecting means, between socket 11 and cover 13.

JCC

Floral cover 13 may be fashioned to simulate a particular ower, such as a rose bud shown in FIG. 2, from a plurality lof floral elements 13a, 13b, 13e and 13d superimposed in concentric relation and riveted together by a grommet `o-r eyelet 13e. Floral elements 13a, 13b, 13e and 13d may be molded of colored translucent resinous plastic, such as polyethylene, bottom element 13a, for example, being green and molded to simulate a leaf structure, elements 13b, 13e and 13d being pink or any `other `desired lioral color and molded to simulate different sized and shaped petals constituting a bloom.

Eyelet 13e is seen in FIGS. 2 and 3 to have a central opening 13]c sized to accommodate the body of lamp 12 and to permit abutment o-f lower bead 13g thereof against upper end 1lb of husk 11a. Also clinched between `upper bead 13h and lower bead 13g is a retaining washer i131' and attachment ring portion 11i-b of gripper 14. rThe latter is seen to comprise ring portion 14b having symmetrically spaced depending prongs 14a which are shaped and sized to resiliently embrace husk border 11e and have indentations 14C adjacent the free end thereof which lock under shoulder 11d.

A feature `of the invention is the simplified construction of the floral cover 13 and its snap-on prong arrangement whereby different iiowers, for example, simulated rose buds or poinscttias of various desired colors may be readily mounted on husk 11a. One of the intended applications of the invention is the use of floral covers 13 in combination with husks and lamps of a so-called midget size which render attractive design impression on Christmas trees in that each lamp provides a relatively intense pinpoint of light. In practicing the invention any number of such midget size lamps may be modifi-ed by snapping on a lioral cover 13.

The practical application and utility of the invention will now be apparent. After constructing the parts as above described and shown in FIGS. l, 2 and 3, floral cover 13 is assembled by clinching floral elements 13a, 13b, 13e and 13d, washer 131' and gripper ring portion 14h together on eyelet 13e in the well `understood manner. Floral covers 13 may be readily detachably mounted selectively on husks 11a of la string of sockets 11 by slipping central openings 13f of eyelets 13e over lamps 12, lower diverging ends of prongs 14a being arranged to easily cause the latter to spread and slide over husk upper borders 11e until indentations 14C engage shoulders 11d in snap-on relation. Prongs 14a may be sized to properly seat and retain lower bead 13g of eyelet 13e on husk upper end 11b.

The string of sockets 11 may be wired in parallel or in series and dispersed in an attractive arrangement on the tree in the Iwell understood manner. Each socket may have clip means (not shown) for attachment to a Christmas tree branch T `or a slidable bead B may be carried on the wiring W below each socket 11 to form a conventional slip loop attachment means as is clear from FIG. 1. A

Floral covers 13 are readily removed from sockets 11 for replacement of a burned yout lamp or for interchange with another floral type `or color or when use of lamp 12 without -a cover is `desired by grasping husk 11a in one hand and cover 13 in the other and exerting a relatively slight separating force suicient to unsnap prong indentations 14e from engagement under shoulder 11a'. If desired this may be accomplished without removing sockets 11 from tree branches T.

A modified form of iioral cover 23 is shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 to comprise floral elements 23a, 23h, 23C and 23d similar to elements 13a, 13b, 13C and 13d of floral cover 13, `and `a litt-ing 2/4 which takes place of eyelet 13e, retaining washer 13 `and gripper 14. As is clear from FIG. 5 fitting 24 is formed as a two piece molded plastic member which when cemented together as shown in FIG. 4 serves to retain floral elements 23a, 21312, 23e and 23d in concentric alignment and provides means for gripping husk 11a.

Thus fitting 2.4 is seen to comprise a li-anged sleeve 26 and a tubular member 25 having a series 'of equally spaced slots 25h extending parallel to the axis of member 25 from the lower end 2SC terminating short o-f upper end 25a and forming resilient legs 25d therebetween. Each leg has an external ledge or shoulder 25e spaced from upper end 25a and tapers in thickness toward lower end 25C, said taper being interrupted on the inner side lby an inward protuberance 25j. Flanged sleeve 26 has a sleeve portion 26h for telescopingly engaging in the tubular member upper end 25a and a radial flange 26a which extends beyond the external diameter of member 25 to coact with ledges 25e in clampingly retaining iioral elements 23a, `23b, 23C and 23d therebetween.

Floral cover 23 is readily assembled by threading floral elements 23a, 23h, 23C and 23d onto tubular member `25 to rest on ledges 25e, then inserting sleeve 26 into tubular member 25 and adhesively or heat sealing the parts together to form a bonded joint I therebetween.

Floral cover 23 will then be used in the same manner as hereinbefore described with reference to cover 13. As is clear `from FIG. 4, fitting 24 may be sized to seat the interior edge of sleeve portion 26h or husk upper end 11b when inward protuberances 25j engage under stepped shoulder 11d.

It is thus seen that there is provided improved separable decorative floral cover constructions whereby the several objects of this invention are achieved and which are well adapted to meet the conditions of practical use.

As various possible embodiments might be made of the above invention, and as various changes might be made in the embodiments above set forth, it is to be understood that all matters herein set forth or shown in the accompanying drawing are to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

l. In combination, anwelectric socket for portable lighting outfits having a husk formed with an open lamp receiving end, an electric lampi mounted in said socket and projecting from said open end, said husk having a border of enlarged diameter :adjacent said end defined by a shoulder spaced from said end, a detachable floral cover for said socket and lampl comprising leaf and petal elements each having a central opening, a grommet means extending through said central openings retaining said leaf and petal elements in concentric stacked relation, and prong means attached to said grommet means spanning said border and releasably engaging said shoulder to permit snap-on seating of said cover on said husk open end with said lamp extending through the grommet means and removal therefrom.

2. A portable display unit of the character described, an electric socket including a husk formed with an open lamp receiving end, an electric lamp mounted in said socket and projecting from said open end, said husk having a border of enlarged diameter adjacent said end defined by a shoulder spaced from said end, a detachable floral cover for said socket and lamp comprising leaf and petal elements each having a central opening, an eyelet extending through said central openings retaining said leaf and petal elements in concentric stacked relation, a gripper member secured beneath said elements in clinched relation therewith by said eyelet, said eyelet having a bore through which said lamp extends, said gripper member having resilient prongs snapping said border and releasably engaging said shoulder to permit snap-on seating of said cover on said husk open end and removal therefrom.

3. In a por-table display unit of the character described having electric sockets each having a husk formed with an open lamp receiving end, an electric lamp mounted in each -of said sockets and projecting from said open end, each husk having a border of enlarged diameter adjacent said end defined by a shoulder spaced from said end, a detachable floral cover for each of said sockets and lamps comprising leaf and petal elements, each of said elements having a central opening, an eyelet extending through the central openings of the elements of each cover retaining said elements in concentric stacked relation, each eyelet having a bore through which said lamp extends, a gripper member having an lattachment ring portion concentrically positioned with respect to said central openings of said elements secured therebeneath in clinched relation by said eyelet, said ring portion yhaving depending resilient prongs symmetrically spaced about said ring portion to extend across and beyond said husk border, each prong having an indentation adjacent a free end thereof spaced from said ring portion to releasably engage said shoulder to permit snap-on seating of said cover on said husk open end and removal therefrom.

4. In a portable display unit of the character described having electric sockets each including a husk formed with an open lamp receiving end, an electric lamp mounted in each of said sockets and projecting from said open end, each husk having a border of enlarged diameter adjacent said end defined by a shoulder spaced from said end, a detachable floral cover for each of said sockets and lamps comp-rising leaf and petal elements, each of said elements having a central opening, a molded plastic litting extending through said central openings retaining said elements in concentric stacked relation, said fitting including a tubular member and a sleeve having a radial liange, said sleeve telescopingly engaging one end of the tubular member `with said flange positioned against said end and extending radially beyond the surface of the member, external shoulder means formed on said sleeve spaced from said irst end, said flange and shoulder means clinching said leaf and petal elements therebetween, said tubular member being slotted longitudinally from` the end opposite said first end to form resilient legs spanning said husk upper border, said sleeve being sized to receive said lamp therethrough and to serve yas -a stop abutting a top edge of said husk for seating said cover thereon, said legs each having an inwardly exten-ding protuberance releasably engaging said shoulder to per-mit snap-on seating of said cover on the husk and removal therefrom.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 704,711 Carlstedt July l5, 1902 2,664,497 Reynalds Dec. 29, 1953 2,758,198 Kronha-us Aug. 7, 1956 FOREIGN PATENTS 517,588 Great Britain Feb. 2, 1930 

